SARS Concerns Fade

In late July, the World Health Organization removed Hong Kong from its list of areas with recent local transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome.

The WHO waited 20 days after the last SARS case was isolated — which is twice the maximum incubation period for the virus — before doing so. At that point, there is considered to be no risk of infection for local residents or travelers to the area.

Also in Asia, travel alerts were removed from Taiwan and Beijing in July.